THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SAPA | VIETNAM

Psssst. Let me tell you a secret. Well, it’s not really a secret…enough people know about it; but many don’t take make the effort to visit the secret someone once made the effort to share with them.

So I’ll pass the message on and you better take my advice.

Sapa in Northern Vietnam is an unmissable destination on yourSE Asia travels. If you want rich culture, stunning scenery and unbelievable home cooked food; Sapa should be at the top of your bucket list.

Where is Sapa?

Sapa is a five hour bus journey/motorbike ride North of Hanoi. If you’re travelling North to South, I’d suggest going from Hanoi – Sapa – Hanoi (even if you do feel like you’re going back on yourself! Sapa is a town that is pretty damn close to the Chinese/Vietnamese border, and is nestled away high in the mountains.

What can I do here?

A lot of people come here to stay with the local village tribes, trek the stunning scenery or to hike the famous Mount Fansipan! But Sapa is also great for food, massages, local markets and mountain-view luxury hotels!

How do I trek with a family in Sapa?

I’m pretty sure you can book on to tours that will allow you to trek the beautiful countryside of Northern Vietnam, but excuse me for saying this…. I find it a little in genuine. Far more thrilling is pulling up into Sapa on your tourist bus, having very little idea of what you’ll do or who you’ll meet and being greeted by one of the lovely tribe women ready to take you on an adventure. Yes, they charge you to stay in their home, but we provide them with an income they couldn’t have dreamed of before we started exploring their landscape.

How much does it cost?

I chose to trek for 3 full days and wanted to be hosted in their home for the 2 nights. This cost me just £11 a night! Absolute peanuts! I had three delicious home-cooked meals each night, entertainment, bongs, rice wine and trekking included in that price!

Although of course you can barter the price offered, please try not to rip them off too much as this is their only source of income and they work so very hard.

Chi and Si

I was greeted by the amazing Chi and Si (and baby Mi) and we started the 10km trek to their home. We went down luscious green countryside, hopped over streams of water and made sure we didn’t step in ‘Buffalo Chocolate’. All the while, we only had our day packs on our back as Chi ensured all of our big backpacks were sent to Chi’s ready for our arrival by motor bike! This was such a huge weight off our shoulders (ba-dum-chaaa) and really helped us to fully enjoy and endure the trek!

Food

We enjoyed a Vietnamese spread of chicken, stir fried greens, tofu, rice, egg and even pancakes! All of the food was either grown in their ‘back yard’ or traded with the other locals in their village. They barely ever used money in between the community as what one person lacked, another person could provide!

The amenities

You really are stripped back to basics. There was a fire in the middle of the hut to keep warm and cook everything on! There was a very small amount of electricity which could be used for a couple of hours in the evening and was hooked up to a light. There was no toilet or even ground drop for us to use, so we were completely forced back into nature. We slept on bamboo and were provided with warm blankets and pillows. Whilst my back was in pieces, and I missed having a toilet (let alone toilet roll), you truly learn to appreciate the basics in life… and it makes you very grateful for what you do have!

The children were so happy and smiley, no iPad’s or iPhones to distract them. Instead, they rode the buffalo in the garden, played with the new puppies or chased the chickens… and they had oodles of fun!

Can you do it alone?

I believe Sapa is super safe and heard many stories of people trekking alone with their tribe family and having no problems at all; had I not have met people in Hanoi, I absolutely would have done it alone! But because I met a group of people in Hanoi who wanted the same kind of adventure, I was with 4 other people and believe our group of 5 made it even more fun!

The local villages

We asked to visit a local school as we all wanted to meet more beautiful sweet local children and have a sing and dance with them! We got up in class and caused a bit of a riot to be honest! The locals are all absolutely amazing, the kids all want to high 5 you and get involved. They make for a truly magical trip.

If you guys have any more questions about Sapa or want to share your experiences with me, then I’d love to hear them in the comments box below!

Sapa is really looking like a gem of a place. Love these kind of places that are virtually untouched. So close to nature, really looks like a piece of paradise. the people too seem so warm and friendly, would love to head out there some day.

Aghhh, what a shame we missed Sapa on our travels. We were rushing which was silly really. My parents are off to Hanoi this May though so I’ll forward this on for some inspiration.
It’s a great piece 🙂

Love this post, thanks for sharing. I love that you mention not to rip people off because it’s their source of income. So many travel blogs I read lately just push ways to travel in the cheapest way possible without regards to the importance of supporting the travel industry so this was a refreshing read.

Hi Guys!

Welcome to Aqua & Ink! A travel blog sharing travel tips, destination guides and my adventures around the world. I pride myself on being a solo female flash-packer who’s never too far away from a Pornstar Martini and some fresh sushi! Join my adventure… because Gypsies never get tied down!
Love, Katrina xo

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A LITTLE ABOUT ME

Welcome to Aqua & Ink! A travel blog sharing travel tips, destination guides and my adventures around the world. I pride myself on being a solo female flash-packer who’s never too far away from a Pornstar Martini and some fresh sushi! Join my adventure… because Gypsies never get tied down!